Celebration Makar Sankranti Indian Festival
India is a land of celebration and festivities which have been a cultural and traditional backbone of the people residing here. One such festival is Makar Sankranti which is celebrated throughout the nation by Hindus with much ardour and devotion. People consider the day very auspicious and take bath in Ganga Sagar and Prayag showing their devotion towards the Sun God. The term Makar Sankranti originates from two distinct words Makar meaning 'Capricorn' and Sankranti meaning 'transition'. Ideally, this is the day which marks the beginning of the sun's passage to the Northern Hemisphere.
Festival that is celebrated in different region of the country in different names. In southern India, it is named as Pongal, in Punjab it is named Lohri, in Assam it is Bhogali Bihu, while in Gujarat it is the day when colourful kites are flown to the sky. Therefore irrespective of language and region, this is an auspicious day in Hindu calendar which is celebrated vividly. The day of Makar Sankranti has a long string of epic touch and belief among Hindus besides being the day to celebrate the Sun God who symbolises knowledge and wisdom. It is also believed that Maharaj Bhagirath performed rigorous meditation to bring river Ganga down on the earth. That is why today a grand 'Ganga Sagar Mela' is arranged every year on Makar Sankranti at the convergence of river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal where thousands and lakhs of devotee take dip in the holy water and do pay their homage and respect to their ancestors.
There is also a prominent astrological importance of that day. As a well known fact there are twelve zodiac signs and consecutively twelve transitions (Sankranti) each month once when the Sun crosses one zodiac to another. Among these twelve, the one when the Sun transit it path from Sagittarius to Capricorn, it is considered a powerful and spiritual Astrology one. The 14th of January is the Makar Sankranti day which is celebrated in the country and families united to pray, eat and stay together and attain spiritual height through pujas performed that day. In the coastal regions, the day is marked as 'harvest day' and celebrated traditionally by dancing, singing and eating together as a single community.
The underlying significance of Makar Sankranti is essentially the unity as a family, as a community and as a nation enriching generation towards progress and spiritual enlightenment.
Festival that is celebrated in different region of the country in different names. In southern India, it is named as Pongal, in Punjab it is named Lohri, in Assam it is Bhogali Bihu, while in Gujarat it is the day when colourful kites are flown to the sky. Therefore irrespective of language and region, this is an auspicious day in Hindu calendar which is celebrated vividly. The day of Makar Sankranti has a long string of epic touch and belief among Hindus besides being the day to celebrate the Sun God who symbolises knowledge and wisdom. It is also believed that Maharaj Bhagirath performed rigorous meditation to bring river Ganga down on the earth. That is why today a grand 'Ganga Sagar Mela' is arranged every year on Makar Sankranti at the convergence of river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal where thousands and lakhs of devotee take dip in the holy water and do pay their homage and respect to their ancestors.
There is also a prominent astrological importance of that day. As a well known fact there are twelve zodiac signs and consecutively twelve transitions (Sankranti) each month once when the Sun crosses one zodiac to another. Among these twelve, the one when the Sun transit it path from Sagittarius to Capricorn, it is considered a powerful and spiritual Astrology one. The 14th of January is the Makar Sankranti day which is celebrated in the country and families united to pray, eat and stay together and attain spiritual height through pujas performed that day. In the coastal regions, the day is marked as 'harvest day' and celebrated traditionally by dancing, singing and eating together as a single community.
The underlying significance of Makar Sankranti is essentially the unity as a family, as a community and as a nation enriching generation towards progress and spiritual enlightenment.
